The Memorial Day weekend and accompanying Vermont City Marathon are just around the corner, and while runners have, hopefully, logged enough miles to be ready for the 26.2-mile test, the course is being readied for May 24.

“We're getting ready for 8,000 runners and 25,000 spectators,” said Peter Delany, executive director of Run Vermont, the company behind the marathon.

Warm weather in Vermont had folks lacing up their sneakers and quite literally hitting the ground running Monday, and with the People's United Bank Vermont City Marathon less than three weeks away, the team at Run Vermont is moving full steam ahead.

“The phone is ringing off the hook, people are really excited, we've got some deadlines coming up,” said Jess Cover, communications director for Run Vermont.

If you are part of a relay team, the deadline to provide names for all the runners is Friday.

There are also only about two weeks left to sign up for the newly competitive kids 2-mile Yam Scram, which takes place the day before the big race.

“We're working on building a bridge between yam scram and people being in the relay of the marathon,” said Joi Dubin Grossman, youth director for Run Vermont.

Another new feature this year is the Race Joy app. Not only does it give information on the race itself, spectators can track runners at certain checkpoints throughout the course.

”Each person has what's called a b-tag in their bib, and you'll know that your runner is running at 'x' pace and should cross the finish line at 'x' time,” said Cover.

While the bells and whistles may be nice, the folks at Run Vermont say what makes this race special has nothing to do with technology -- it's the people.

“The neighbors who hand out Popsicles and watermelon, turn on their garden hoses, the energy and spirit that comes out of all of the people that borders this course is what makes it unique,” said Delany.